Ore classifier or separator.



F. A. GOODALE.

ORE CLASSIFIER 0R SEPARATOR.

APPLICATIJON FILED APR. l4. me.

1,201 ,956. Patented Oct. 17, 1916. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3mm Ii Gaodal p r s.

61m onassnunn on SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedOct. 1'7, 1916.

Application filed April 14. 1916. Serial No. 91,166.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK 1. GoonALn, a citizen of the United States, residing at You Bet, in the county of Nevada and State 5 of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ore Classifiers or Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ore classifiers or separators, and particularly to ore classifiers or separators of that kind in which the pulp is spread over a moving surface in such a manner as to effect the travel of the slimes or lighter material in one direction and the sand and other coarser material in a different direction, whereby the separatory action is secured.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction of classifier or separator by means of which a more reliable and efficient separation of the lighter from the heavier materials is obtained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a classifier or separator embodying means for securing an eflicient raking or spreading of the material over a separator deck or surface at predetermined intervals, while said surface is in motion, so as to keep the particles of material constantly loosened up and spread out for the separation of the lighter materials from the heavier ones.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a classifier or separator embodying stationary inclined decks or surfaces in connection withrotary and vertically reciprocatory rakes for loosening up and spread ing out the material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved means for supplying wash water for a flushing action to assist in separating the lighter from the heavier material, and improved means for collecting the light and heavy products.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through an orc separator or classifier constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line H of Fig. 1. .Fig, 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 1. In the practical embodiment of my in vention, I providea suitable frame structure 1, which supports at its base an inner circular trough 2 to receive the separated I slime and lighter materials, and an outer, annular trough 3 to receive the sand and other heavier materials, from which troughs the separated materials may be removed or discharged in any preferredway. Projecting upward from the base of the frame centrally into and above the innertrough 2 is a socket bearing 1 in which is ournaled-the lower end of a hollow vertical shaft 5, which shaft is journaled at its upper end in a cap bearing 6 fixed to the upper portion of the frame, such hearings permitting the shaft 5 to both rotate and reciprocate vertically. As shown, a worm gear 7 is mounted upon the upper end of the shaft and suitably held by a part of the bearing 6 against vertical motion, while said gear is permitted to revolve freely with the shaft. Thisgear has its hub provided with a longitudinal key or feather 8 which engages a slot 9 in the. shaft, by means of which a clutch connection is afforded adapting the shaft to be positively connected with the gear to revolve 8 therewith, while permitting the shaft to be. vertically reciprocated through the hub of the gear. The gear receives motion from a worm 10 on a drive shaft 11 provided with fast andloose pulleys 12 for receiving mo tion from any suitable source of power. The means for reciprocating the shaft consists of a coupling head 14 swiveled to the shaft and having a stem 15 pivotally connected to one end of a double-armed yoke 16. This yoke is slotted to slidably engage a transmission shaft 17 and carries a roller 18 running in contact with .an eccentric .wheel or disk 10on said transmission shaft 17, which shaft is journaled in suitable bearings 2O andconnected with and drivenfrom the form of a cap fitting over upon the upper end of theshaft 5 and having an opening for the passage of the shaft 15, in which said shaft 15 is free to turn, the head or cap 14 being secured in position upon the shaft 5 by screws 14 or other suitable fastenings.

or inwardly toward the central shaft at a desired angle of inclination, and is separated from the shaft and surrounding walls or timbers of the frame structure. At the 2 lower end of each deck or platform is an upstanding vertical guard Wall 245, which guard wall" forms a dam adapted to prevent discharge of the coarser and heavier materials at the lower end of the deck, while permitting the pulp and other lighter materials'to flow upward and over the upper edge of said dam or guard wall, the slime and other lighter materials thus being discharged by grawity downward into the trough 2.

V Beneath each deck orplatform 22, except the last one of the series, is a second deck or platform 25, each of which is also made of sheet metal and supported from the frame workby the brackets 23. The decks have their outeredges projecting outwardly beyond the outer edges of the decks 22 and their inner edges terminating the same distance outwardly of the inner edges of the decks 22, and said decks 25 also incline or slope downwardly and inwardly toward the shaft 5, but at a somewhat greater pitch or angle than the decks 22. Each deck 25 receives the sand and coarse materials passing up along the surface of the superposed deck 22 and discharging over the outer edge of said deck 22, such material, except in the case of the use of but a single separator deck 22, thence flowing downward by gravity along the deck 25 and over the inner edge thereof on to the next underlying deck 22, where a second separation of the character described occurs, any slime or lighter mate rial which may have discharged with the coarser particles being discharged over the dam 24' at the'lower edge of the second deck 22, while the coarser particles will pass on to the neat underlying deck 25, and so on throughout the series.

It will be understood'from the foregoing description that the operation above described applies in the use of a classifier or separator having a plurality of superposed separating decks or platforms, and that when the material finally reaches the last deck 22 of the series, which is located immediately above the, troughs 2 and 3, the re maining slime and heavier particles will respectively discharge into said troughs;

here but a single separator deck or platform 22 is employed, as in a simple form of machine, the parts will be arranged as shown with relation to the receiving troughs and lower deck 22, which will directly receive the pulp and discharge the separated slime and heavier particles directly into the troughs.

The pulp is fed from a suitable source of supply to the upper deck 22 of the series from one or more feed hoppers 26, and for the purpose of raking and spreading out the material contained upon each deck or surface 22 for the separating action, I provide for use in conjunction with each deck a rotary rake or scraper. Each of th-eserotary rakes or scrapers comprises rake bars 27 connected by hanger arms 28 with a wheel like framecomposed of radial spokes 29 leading from a central hub 30jcomposed of'semicircular sections united by bolts 32'by means of which the rake isdetachably and adjustably' secured to the shaft 5, so that the edges of the rake bars may be adjusted with rela tion to the surface of the deck- 22 over which said bars are movable. The rake bars are inclined to the same degree as the decks and in operation sweep over the surface thereof during a portion of their revolution, thus throwing the coarse particles of material outwardly and upwardly toward the outer discharge edge of the platform, and at the same time separating the shine and lighter material therefrom and permitting the same to flow or work down toward the inner edge of the deck and finally discharge over the dam 24. It will be evident from the foregoing description that during a portion of the revolution of the shaft the shaft will'be in a lowered position, and in such position of the shaft the rake bars will also be lowered down against the decks or platforms for a raking action, while during the remainder of the revolution of the shaft said shaft will be elevated and will likewise elevate the rake bars so that they will move clear of and over the surface of the material. 2 Provision is thus made for an efiicient spreading or raking action and also at the same time for an interval of rest during which the material will gravitate and tend to separate according to its different specific gravitles, in preparation for the gradual and advancing steps in the process of separation.

For the purpose of facilitating the flow of the material and the separation of the finer from the coarser material, I provide means for supplying wash water to flow down the surfaces of the decks 22 and 25, thus washing out the finer material and effect a freer discharge of the same with the wash water over the dam 24. The means employed for this purpose comprises perforated spray pipes 31 receiving the water from any suitable source of supply and hav ing its perforations arranged to discharge the water in the form of a spray down upon the surface of the pulp lying on each deck 22. A sleeve 32 is carried by the hub of the lower rake and telescopes over the bearing 4: to prevent the material discharging into the trough 2 from passing down into said bearing 4.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode of operation of my improved classifier or separator will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a device of this character which is not only simple of construction but which is adapted to effect a thorough classification or separation of the particles of material from each other and to discharge the same in separate receptacles, and furthermore a more eflicient separatory action is obtained by the described mode of raking or spreading out the material and providing for the separation and discharge of the heavier and lighter products in the manner described. Of course it is to be understood that one or more decks or platforms 22 may be employed, and that when'two or more of such decks are employed the intervening decks 25 will be used in conjunction therewith.

I claim 1. In an ore separator or classifier, the combination of a vertical shaft, a separator deck arranged concentric with the shaft, a rake rotatable with the shaft for cooperation with said deck, and means operable in the action of the apparatus for moving the rake in vertical planes into and out of contact with the surface of the deck, one or more times on each revolution of the shaft.

2. In an ore separator or classifier, a central shaft, a separator deck mounted concentric with said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a rake arranged for rotation with the shaft, and means for reciprocating the shaft to move the rake in vertical planes into and out of contact with the surface of the deck one or more times in each revolution of the shaft.

3. In an ore separator or classifier, a cen- Coples of this patent may be obtained for tral shaft, a separator deck arranged concentric with the shaft, a rake carried by the shaft for cooperation with the deck, means for rotating the shaft, and cam mechanism for reciprocating the shaft for moving the rake in vertical planes into and out of contact with the surface of the deck one or more times in each revolution of said shaft.

4. In an ore separator or classifier, a central shaft, a separator deck having a surface sloping downwardly and inwardly toward said shaft and having an upright wall at its inner edge, a rake carried by the shaft for cooperation with said deck, means for rotating the shaft, and means for reciprocating the same for moving the rake into and out of contact with the surface of the separator one or more times in each revolution of the shaft.

5. In an ore separator or classifier, a central shaft, a separator deck having a surface inclining downwardly and inwardly toward said shaft, and having an upright dam wall at its inner edge, a rake carried by the shaft for cooperation with said deck, gearing for rotating the shaft, a second shaft, and means actuated by said second shaft for reciprocating the first-named shaft for moving the rake in vertical planes into and out of contact with the separator one or more times in each revolution of the central shaft.

6. In an ore separator or classifier, a central shaft, a separator deck arranged concentric with the shaft, a rake carried by the shaft for cooperation with the deck, means for'rotating the shaft, a reciprocating member swiveled to the shaft, and cam mechanism for reciprocating said reciprocating member and transmitting corresponding motion to the shaft, for moving the rake in vertical planes into and out of contact with the surface of the deck, one or more times in each revolution of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK A. GOODALE.

Washington, D. G. 

